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Silken Amara Plaza

Hotel Silken Amara Plaza’s 162 rooms tower over the Amara neighbourhood of San Sebastián. It may not be an ideal hotel for beach bums, but its rates are modest and rooms comfortable. Spacious common areas make it a good group or business choice.

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Rooms from

£60per night

Check-in

Check-out

Occupancy

Rooms

Adults

Children

Ages of children

Location

6/10

Silken Amara Plaza used to get business and bonus points thanks to being poised at one corner of the bus station. But ever since the station relocated in 2016, the Amara Plaza isn’t really close to anything. That said, San Sebastián is small and distances are relative, so the walk to the beach is only a mere 20 minutes down a lovely river promenade.

Style & character

7/10

It is very much a Silken hotel — fully contemporary and designed to be a pleasant background to any activity. Pops of colour and contemporary art pieces are scattered throughout the hotel in an attempt to lighten the business-like atmosphere.

Service & facilities

8/10

The staff is smiling and eager. There are no exercise or leisure facililties to be found—instead, the facilities available tend towards business travellers: one large meeting room that can be divided into six and a business centre outfitted with a computer and printer. There is a small library on the mezzanine of the lobby.

There are also plenty of places to meet over coffee or a drink, including the Piano Bar La Ola, although there is unfortunately no longer an on-staff piano player serenading guests. Enter the garage comfortably via the lift in the lobby (parking is €19/£16 a night).

Bar

Parking

Restaurant

Room service

Wi-Fi

Rooms

7/10

The rooms are done in a warm grey and beige palette, with quality materials. They are quite comfortable, from the wood furniture to the lovely mattresses. Bathrooms are outfitted in light marble and well-stocked with robes and toiletries.

Ask for a room towards the top for a view over the city. The suite is one of the best rooms in San Sebastián, with two lovely terraces overlooking the city and the Urumea River in its entirety. Minibars, laundry service and wall-mounted TVs in each room mean all basic comfort boxes are ticked.

Food & drink

7/10

The restaurant on the premises, Restaurante Plaza, is actually often busier with locals hopping in for the menu del día, a prix-fixe lunch menu, than with hotel guests. The menu is standard local fare, with favourites like salt cod and, as is natural in Basque Country, seasonal dishes such as creamy porcini soup. For those not feeling adventurous, there is also a bistro menu with sandwiches and pizza. There is room service from 7am to 11pm, and the menu is reasonably priced with only one dish (steak) over €20 (£17).

Breakfast is a buffet style with standard fare and a nod to the local with sausages and tortilla.

Value for money

7/10

Double rooms from €75 (£63) in low season; and from €300 (£253) in high, which includes summer as well as certain famous citywide conferences, so check the calendar. Breakfast is not included (€19/£16). Basic Wi-Fi is free, although too slow to stream video—for that you’re going to have to choose a paid-for option.

Access for guests with disabilities?

There are three rooms adapted for guests with disabilities.

Family-friendly?

There is a room specially designed for families, and the suites would also do nicely. Extra beds are available for €34 (£29), though they are free of charge for children up to 11 years of age.